Bay of Plenty and Counties end all square

Editor

Bay of Plenty kept their Premiership promotion challenge on track after claiming a 31-31 draw with Counties Manukau in Tauranga on Sunday.

As the scoreline suggests, this was a thrilling affair with both sides giving the ball plenty of air and Counties eventually outscored their hosts five tries to four.

The homeside held a slender 17-14 lead at the interval thanks to tries from Solomona Sakalia and Terrence Hepetema with Fotu Lokotui and Augustine Pulu scoring the Steamers' five-pointers during this period.

An Albert Nikoro, try early in the second half, put the visitors in front and Nigel Ah Wong extended their lead when he crossed for another one shortly afterwards.

Bay of Plenty fought back, however, and drew level when Lalakai Foketi scored a try in the 54th minute which Mike Delany converted.

They took the lead 10 minutes later, courtesy of a Jesse Parete try, but Counties secured the draw when Liam Daniela crossed the whitewash in the 75th minute and Luteru Laulala added the extras.

The scorers:

For Bay of Plenty:
Tries:
Sakalia, Hepetema, Foketi, Parete
Cons: Delany 4
Pen: Delany

For Counties Manukau:
Tries:
Lokotui, Pulu, Nikoro, Ah Wong, Daniela
Cons: Kerr 2, Laulala

Bay of Plenty: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Elijah Nicholas, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Terrence Hepetema, 11 Joe Webber, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Richard Judd, 8 Jesse Parete, 7 Hugh Blake, 6 Tom Franklin, 5 Keepa Mewett (c), 4 Culum Retallick, 3 Jeff Thwaites, 2 Liam Polwart, 1 Solomona Sakalia 
Replacements: 16 James O'Reilly, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 James Lay, 19 Troy Callender, 20 Matthew Axtens, 21 Luke Campbell, 22 Matthew Garland, 23 Isaac Te Aute

Counties Manukau: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Albert Nikoro, 13 Nigel Ah Wong, 12 Orbyn Leger, 11 Tevita Nabura, 10 Baden Kerr, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Samuel Henwood, 7 Fotu Lokotui, 6 Johnathan Kawau, 5 Jimmy Tupou, 4 Ronald Raaymakers, 3 Coree Te Whata-Colley, 2 Joseph Royal, 1 Pauliasi Manu 
Replacements: 16 Gafatasi Su'a, 17 Sean Bagshaw, 18 Kalolo Tuiloma, 19 Viliame Rarasea, 20 Viliami Taulani, 21 Liam Daniela, 22 Stephen Donald, 23 Luteru Laulala

Referee: Michael Lash